KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Nearly four years after shutting its office following the Taliban’s return to power, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has resumed humanitarian operations in Afghanistan, the Swiss government announced Monday.
The Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a statement that a team from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA), along with Afghan colleagues, reopened the office in Kabul in mid-March. The office had remained closed since August 2021, when the Taliban took control of the country.
“The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is among the world’s worst. More than four years after the Taliban returned to power, over half the population still relies on humanitarian aid,” the ministry said. “To provide the most effective support possible at the local level, it is vital to have a precise understanding of the situation on the ground and to work closely with local partner organizations.”
According to the statement, Switzerland’s humanitarian efforts will focus on supporting Afghan civil society, particularly women and girls, as well as improving food security in rural areas. With an annual budget of 25 million Swiss francs ($28 million), the SDC works alongside UN agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the World Bank, and international and local NGOs in crisis-affected countries.
Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation has deteriorated since the Taliban’s return to power, and the UN now estimates that 23 million people in the country require humanitarian assistance. The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that 15 million people—about one-third of the population—are facing acute food insecurity.
A surge in returning refugees, widespread displacement, and natural disasters, including devastating earthquakes and floods, have only intensified the crisis, deepening poverty and unemployment across the country.
Despite the rising humanitarian needs, efforts to alleviate the crisis have been hindered by funding shortfalls. The UN’s $2.4 billion humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan in 2025 remains critically underfunded, with only 13% of the required amount secured so far.
